I had an amazing time in Cuba. It wasn't a vacation. I was working the whole time. So I needed to keep all my stuff charged. But the thing about places like Cuba is: So much sunshine; so few outlets to charge my phone, tablet and laptop. They don't have a Starbucks on every corner -- or any corner.

I can't tell you how many times I've found myself in some random country unable to charge my phone. Where do you do it?

Meanwhile, the sun is often beating down -- the sun, of course, is what Elon Musk called "that big fusion power plant in the sky."

The obvious solution is some way to charge using solar power.

Fortunately, I was using an eval unit of a really great product called the Solartab Solar Charger. It's a BAB (big-ass battery -- 9,000 mAh, actually) that can be charged by plugging it into an outlet -- or by exposing its solar panels to the sun.

I can charge anything that plugs in with USB (like my iPhone) or USB-C (like my Nexus 5x).

The truth is that I normally charge it in the wall, not the sun. But because I have the solar option, I never have to worry about running out of juice. And I really have needed it a few times.

Carrying the Solartab is just like carrying a tablet. It's got a cover, which can be used to prop it up to optimize the angle toward the sun. It's also rugged and waterproof, so you don't have to baby it when you're hiking or sailing.